Colliding Forces
by Potterwench
Summary: A/U Story. Frank has made a decision that will not only affect his life, but Stephanie's as well. A person from Stephanie's past will also re-emerge and will that spine tingling connection still be there? This is a strong Stephanie and strong Frank story, with our favorites mixed in. No Helen. Not Joe friendly. Currently on HIATUS. Will probably be completely revised. See A/N 9
1. Prologue

**Colliding Forces**

**A/N - OK, here it is, my new story. This is going to be completely different than anything I've ever written, and a really ambitious story for my second full length fanfic. I hope you enjoy it! Please read and respond!  
**

**I would like to thank the three people who have been instrumental in giving me the confidence to move forward with this story. Babe - MM Love, Margaret aka whymelucylu and my awesome Beta, Svendances! Svendances was the one who took this prologue from the hurried writings of my muse to this much better fleshed out Prologue. Thank you, thank you, thank you!  
**

**I will not be updating this as often as I did with the Choice. I'm not sure of a regular schedule yet, but I will update as quickly as I can.  
**

**Again, I want to say Thank You so much for making my first experience with a full length fic so enjoyable and I look forward to your response to this story!  
**

**I forgot this before NOT MINE just playing!  
**

**Prologue **

My name is Frank - actually, it's General Frank Plum – and I've led a very interesting life. I could tell you stories, but then I'd have to kill you. For the last 35 years, I have faithfully served my country and my country has served me in return, providing me a successful and rewarding career.

The beginning of my time in the military was spent as an Army Ranger. Unfortunately, it made me lose time with my wife, Helen. Time that I thought we'd be able to make up for in our golden years. I had so many plans for those years…

Helen and I were married for 10 wonderful years. We spent much of that time trying to have children, and just when we gave up that dream, Helen became pregnant with our first blessing, Valerie. Three years later, we were blessed again when Stephanie was born.

While I was on a mission, Helen had taken the girls back to New Jersey to visit her parents. I arrived back stateside, and was met by my CO and the chaplain with the news that my wife had been killed two days before and my daughters were in New Jersey with Helen's parents. I crumpled on the tarmac.

No amount of government provided training could have prepared me for the pain I felt at the loss of my Helen. She had been my light in the darkness I faced during missions and now that light had been extinguished. I couldn't even confront the man with what he'd done, much less be the one to extinguish his life as I wanted to. The drunk driver who had T-boned Helen's car on the driver's side when he ran the red light had also been killed.

Instead of being able to do what I'd been trained to do, I had to bury my wife and find a way to take care of my daughters who were three and six months old at the time. Cradling Stephanie and holding Valerie's hand at my side as the love of my life was lowered into the ground was the lowest moment of my life.

The three of us had to move on with our lives, which meant returning to Ft. Benning, GA where I was stationed. Luckily for me, Helen's parents, Edna and Harry, were willing to rent out their house in Trenton and move to Georgia to help me care for the girls.

It was difficult to juggle my career and being a father. Edna and Harry helped me deal with the demands, but the time away from my family spent on missions made me feel guilty. I didn't want to regret time away from my girls like I regretted the time I spent away from Helen.

Don't get me wrong, I did my job and I did it well. What I did was important, but I needed to find a way to be home with my girls. I spoke to my CO and he suggested that instead of leaving the service at the end of my contract, I should train future Rangers at Ft. Benning. This gave me the opportunity to spend more time with my girls.

I worked my way up through the ranks before finally being promoted to General and given my own command at Ft. Dix back in New Jersey. The girls, who were now teenagers, Edna, Harry and I packed up and headed back to live in the Chambersburg section of Trenton where Helen and I had grown up.

Valerie had a much easier transition into Burg life than Stephanie did. Valerie reminded me so much of her mother. She took Home Ec in school and took care of the house for us. Her dream was to marry and have a house and children of her own. Val was the perfect Burg girl.

Valerie met a young man while she was in college. Steve. She married him before he went on to law school in California, and they have given me two beautiful granddaughters; Angie and Mary Alice. Valerie loves her life in California and is living her dream of being a housewife.

Stephanie, on the other hand, was and continues to be the antithesis of the perfect Burg girl. The complete opposite of both her mother and sister, my Pumpkin takes after me. She craves adventure, and always wanted to be Wonder Woman so she could save the world, taking down one bad guy at a time.

I trained both girls in self defense, but while Stephanie really enjoyed the training (the Wonder Woman thing), Valerie only tolerated it. By the time she was 12, Stephanie was a black belt in both Karate and Tae Kwon Do. Valerie refused gun training, but Stephanie thrived on it. My Pumpkin had better training scores than some of the Rangers I had trained. She was so good that at 15, Stephanie won a place on the U.S. Olympic rifling team. Stephanie worked hard and was determined to win gold in all three of her events. I'll be damned if she didn't! When Stephanie is determined, nothing will stop her!

For me, it meant being able to beam with pride at my child's accomplishments during each medal ceremony while my daughter was at the center of the podium, with the Stars and Stripes rising, while our national anthem played. Those medal ceremonies were the proudest moments of my life so far!

Of course, her achievements brought her to the government's attention. They wanted to recruit my baby girl for "special" government work. This of course was not something I wanted for my Pumpkin and I was prepared to try and talk her out of it, however, it was Stephanie that shot them down. While she appreciated the opportunity, Stephanie knew a career in the military or with any of the "alphabets" was not what she wanted. I was relieved. I knew what that life entailed and I did not want that for my daughter.

Stephanie graduated top of her class in high school and got a full scholarship to Columbia University where she majored in journalism. Pumpkin is now an investigative journalist for the Times of Trenton. She's more Lois Lane than Wonder Woman these days, but she is still trying to save the world one bad guy at a time.

So, what am I doing now that my metaphoric nest is empty, you ask? I'm living in Washington, D.C. and I'm the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Not bad, right?

I've also just made a big decision that will affect all of our lives. There are consequences associated with my decision…..

And one of those consequences is walking through my office door right now…


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N - I apologize that this has taken so long for me to update. I had a serious issues with my muse and then I got sick as a dog. I was hoping to have this up earlier this week, but when I got sick it put a big ol damper on it!**

**Thank you to BabeLove -MMLove and Margaret whymeLucyLu for your unending enthusiasm for this story. I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations!  
**

**A big gigantically huge thank you to my Beta Svendances! This chapter would be a shell of what it has turned out to be without her. I can't thank you enough for all of your encouragement and gentle prodding. This story still scares the crud out of me because of what I envision, but I know she won't let me quit! So, thank you thank you thank you!**

**Please read and review. I love them all! And if I haven't responded personally, I'm sorry, things have been kind of crazy and I'll try to do better with my responses.  
**

**Not mine. Again, totally A/U. I'm just having fun with these characters and putting them in a totally new situation!**

**Apparently there is some sort of issue with FF that is not letting this chapter post where people can see it. I am totally frustrated and sorry people! I hope this is eventually seen!**

**Chapter 1**

Stephanie Plum was driving towards her office in downtown Trenton with the early fall wind in her wild curly hair and Metallica blaring on the radio of her beloved yellow Jeep Wrangler.

She braked at the stop light and tapped at the steering wheel to the beat of "Enter the Sandman." As she drummed the dash, she caught a look at the next car over. There were two yahoos staring at her with their mouths hanging open from the cab of their Ford F150.

"Shut your mouths, you'll catch flies," she yelled and took off when the light turned green leaving the guys in the truck gaping after her with the horns of fellow Jersey drivers blaring at them in her wake. Steph couldn't help but giggle.

She wasn't beautiful by typical standards, but her eyes were the kind of blue that any man who ever met her just wanted to get lost in them. Her legs were long, but her stature wasn't that of a model's. She was the girl next door, but had a sex appeal that came from the confidence that oozed from every pore of her skin. All of these characteristics combined, made Stephanie a bombshell.

Leaping from the front seat of her Jeep after arriving in the parking garage, Stephanie hurried with excitement in her step into the building. She had a story that would finally put her on the map. She just knew it.

Stephanie bypassed her desk and strode right into her boss's office. She had a lot of respect for her boss, JJ Johnson. He was young for your typical newspaper editor-in-chief because he rose through the ranks with the same tenacity Stephanie felt in herself. The fact that JJ's initials were the same as J. Jonah Jameson, the editor of the paper where SpiderMan/Peter Parker worked, wasn't lost on her. Stephanie had always wanted to be Wonder Woman. Although her career path followed more closely to Lois Lane's now, both characters were created by DC Comics. However, good ol' J. Jonah Jameson and SpiderMan were created by the rival Marvel Comics. The irony always gave her a little giggle.

"Plum, what have you got?" asked JJ.

"The Slayers, JJ," Steph announced confidently_._"You and I both know there is more going on here than meets the eye. The cops are doing late night raids but the same damn guys keep showing back up on the streets. Nothing is sticking on these guys! It's bullshit and both of us know it!" she exclaimed while pounding her hands on the desk.

"You have a point," he agreed calmly, leaning back in his leather desk chair_._"But do you really want to go up against these guys?"

A grin crept up on her face as she thought about the plan she'd already devised on the way over here. _"_I have a secret weapon, JJ. You know Daddy always taught me to be prepared," Stephanie said with a wink as she turned and flounced out of JJ's office.

**##########################################**

Pulling into a parking space directly in front of her cousin Vinnie's office, Steph sent up a small prayer of thanks to the parking fairies for working in her favor once in her life.

Vinnie owns Vincent Plum Bail Bonds, well actually his father in law, Harry the Hammer, owns it, but Vinnie fronts the business. Vinnie's wife, Lucille, is the apple of Harry's eye, and whatever Lucille wants, Lucille gets and for some reason she wants Vinnie.

The Plum family tree has many branches, but the sick branch belongs to Vinnie. There are rumors about Vinnie and his proclivities that would make the fictional Christian Grey blush. Plus, Vinnie isn't above bonding out any lowlife he thinks he can make a buck on. In Stephanie's book, that makes Vinnie ten steps below amoeba on the scale of life.

Vinnie's office manager, Connie Rosolli, was the older sister of Tina Rosolli, an old classmate of Steph's. Connie's family is connected, as in "Family" with a capital "F". Connie has flaming red hair and dresses like Betty Boop with a slight "shadow" on her upper lip. She's the real person in charge at Vincent Plum Bail Bonds, only Vinnie would never admit it. On top of that, Connie was Stephanie's one stop shop for any gossip relating to the 'Burg grapevine and the lowlifes Vinnie bonds out.

"Hey Steph, what brings you here?" Connie greeted the moment Steph opened the plate glass door.

Stephanie threw her eyes towards Vinnie's office. "He around?"

"Nah, he's off with a duck or something, so he ain't listening," Connie shivered.

Vinnie's a little paranoid and a nosy bastard, so he has bugs planted all over the office. When she first started working for Vinnie, Connie's Dad did a sweep once and found "bugs" everywhere but the bathroom, so he planted a few of his own in Vinnie's office. Needless to say, Connie doesn't need to worry about job security.

Steph felt like throwing up a little at the duck comment. "So, what's the word? Is Vinnie still bonding out the Slayers?"

"Something weird is goin' on here, Steph. I don't like it and I don't want to be associated with this shit. It makes me nervous. I already told Vinnie I won't go and sign any bonds for these guys, so he has to do them all himself."

"I heard the charges aren't sticking on the Slayers. Have any of them gone Failure to Appear yet?"

"That's the thing, Steph, the charges are dropped before they have the chance to go FTA. But the next week, the same guys are getting bonded out again. None of this makes sense," she sighed.

"Your family's watching your back, right?"

"Heh, of course," she declared and then switched gears to more interesting gossip. "So, did you hear about the new security firm expanding into town?"

"Security firm?" Steph asked, her brows furrowing slightly in confusion_._ "Why is that news?"

"They're moving into Trenton and looking to expand into high bond FTAs," said Connie.

"Really? How do you know?"

"The hottest guy I've ever seen met with Vinnie last week and signed a contract to take over the high bonds that have been getting away unless he gets Harry's guys involved. This will take some heat off Vinnie."

"What do you know about them?" Steph asked with a sudden uneasy feeling.

"Just the company name is Rangeman and they provide high end security out of Miami."

_It couldn't be_, thought Stephanie, _just a coincidence_.

As Stephanie left the Bonds Office several minutes later, all caught up on the current events in the Burg, all she could think of was the news about Rangeman and the "hot" guy Connie mentioned. A part of Steph knew this wasn't a coincidence, and it was just her luck that he'd be coming back into her life now. She had a story, and now he was going to waltz in and be the distraction she didn't need.

A distraction she didn't need, yes. But damn if he wasn't what she really wanted.

With her thoughts tormented by memories of that summer, Stephanie returned to her apartment. It was on the second floor in the corner of the building in the middle of the Burg. It was occupied mostly by senior citizens and the fixtures in the bathroom were almost as old as her neighbors.

The overall décor in the apartment could only be called dorm room chic. The couch was originally black, but had turned grey with age and the cushions were lumpy and threadbare. The coffee table was one she'd picked up at a flea market. It was a dark wood and didn't go with the black end table she picked up at Ikea. The only splurge purchase in the living room was the 42" plasma flat screen TV that Steph bought with her tax return. Of course, it sat on an old 70s buffet that her Dad gave her when he moved to DC.

Unfortunately, this eclectic décor was all her current salary would allow. With this story though, someday soon, she was sure she'd at least be replacing the mismatched furniture.

Stephanie booted up her laptop and decided to do some research on Rangeman. She pulled up their website and went immediately to the About Us section. No names, no pictures, just the typical marketing BS and some info about the type of security services offered.

A Google search didn't turn up much more; it would seem that the company kept a low profile, which isn't too surprising in high end security. This type of company would work strictly through word of mouth and do mostly high end business.

Exactly the way he had dreamed it, 10 years ago…..


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N - Hi everyone! Here is the next chapter. Sorry I haven't responded to reviews, but I will this weekend. Please read and review, I really love them and I can't wait to see what you all think of this chapter.**

**Thanks again to my beta, Svendances. She is the best! Thank you!**

**Chapter 2**

_Point Pleasant, NJ 10 years ago_

The cook out at the house Stephanie was sharing with her best friend Mary Lou for the summer had wound down. The party with their new friends had been boisterous, loud and had lasted past midnight.

Mary Lou's fiancé, Lenny, had come to visit for the weekend and he enjoyed meeting the guys and hanging out. The two of them were now otherwise occupied in her room, which left Steph on her own to say goodnight to their guests.

He'd stayed behind to help her clean up. Stephanie was surprised but delighted. Although they had spent a lot of time together this past week, this was the first time they were totally alone. The two of them cleaned up the mess in compatible silence, but the electricity that Stephanie had felt from the first moment they met continued to pulse through her body.

Finally, when the clean up was complete, he wrapped her in his Army sweatshirt to ward off the chill of the late night wind coming off the ocean in front of them. It came down to her knees, but it was still warm and had that lingering scent that always seemed to hang around him. Stephanie inhaled deeply as he pulled her towards the hammock on the deck.

He settled himself in the hammock and pulled her to his chest, securing her there with his strong arms as she snuggled into him. One of his legs was hanging off the side and was rocking the hammock gently while tracing his fingers along her arm. Stephanie loved the ocean and they gazed out at the full moon reflecting off the waves as they gently rolled in to the beach.

A contented sigh fell from her lips, and she felt safe in his strong arms as he gently kissed the top of her head. Even though they'd only known each other a week, she felt like they'd known each other forever. Thinking back over their time together, Stephanie realized that in reality she hardly knew anything about him at all.

"Babe, I smell smoke. What are you thinking about?"

"Just that I don't know much about you," Steph said, not wanting to admit how right and safe she felt with his arms around her just yet.

"What do you want to know?" he asked, absently twirling one of her curls around his fingers. "I'll tell you anything."

"Really?" Her natural curiosity was piqued. "Hmmm, that's giving me a lot of leeway, Ranger, you sure about that?" she asked with a sassy tone.

As Ranger's chest rumbled with laughter, it vibrated against her sending sensations throughout her body which caused her to shiver and shift her body closer to his. "You never disappoint, Babe. But don't forget, turnabout is fair play. I can ask my own questions. Are you willing to tell me anything, Stephanie?"

"Sure," she whispered unsure at first but as more confidence coursed through her veins she stated, "but I'm first."

Ranger laughed again, "Go for it, Babe."

"What were you like as a kid?"

"Trouble, with a capital 'T.' I gave my parents hell. I was stubborn and independent and did the exact opposite of what was expected of me. How about you?"

"Stubborn also, and maybe a little out there." His curious look made her explain further. "I wanted to be Wonder Woman," she said as he grinned at her. "My dad and my grandparents handled it pretty well, I think. My mom died when I was a baby, so I have no idea how she would have handled me."

Ranger tilted her head up so he could look in her eyes, "I'm sorry, Babe. I had no idea."

"It's OK. She died when I was six months old. I have no memory of her. It's just been Dad, my sister Valerie, my grandparents and me. I don't know any different."

"What happened?"

Stephanie felt the lead in her stomach at this question. The subject of her mother always brought her feelings of dread and guilt. This time was no different.

"A drunk driver ran a red light and t-boned her car in the driver side. She was on her way to the store to get diapers for me," Steph said with a sigh as she lowered her head and she fisted the hem of his sweatshirt.

Ranger lifted her face to his again and gazed into her pain filled eyes. Understanding dawned immediately as he saw her forlorn expression and he leaned down and to kiss her gently. "It wasn't your fault," he told her firmly, "Stop blaming yourself."

Her eyes widened in surprise and Stephanie couldn't believe he understood. She had grown up feeling like it was her fault that she and Val didn't have a mother and her father had lost the love of his life. She never expected to find someone who would realize the guilt she felt deep inside. "I don't. I know it wasn't my fault," she tried to convince them both as she averted his gaze.

"Babe, don't. Not with me. It is written all over your face. You've never let anyone know that you blame yourself, have you?"

"No," she whimpered as she buried her face in his shoulder. How can you say to your family it is your fault that everything was broken? The woman who should have been the center of your family was taken because of you? In a way, Stephanie had spent her life overachieving in order to atone for the loss of her mother to her Daddy…

"You were a baby, you needed diapers, and some asshole decided to drive drunk. That isn't your fault," he whispered as he pulled her face back so he could look into her eyes once more.

Ranger lowered his lips to hers and once he claimed them, Stephanie felt the guilt she'd been carrying her whole life slip away. Soon, the only thing that existed for her was his lips on hers and how he made her feel like the only other woman on the Earth. The unseen gravitational force that had originally pulled her towards him when they first met increased. She felt her world start to shift and begin to orbit around his. Stephanie knew that if she gave into it then she could easily fall in love with him.

Finally, needing to catch her breath, she broke away from his lips and gazed into Ranger's eyes. The storm of emotions she saw brewing in his chocolate brown eyes, scared her. Unable to deal with all the new emotions raging through her, Stephanie decided to change the direction of the conversation and asked, "So, someday, when you're out of the Army, what do you want to do with your life?"

"Babe," he sighed with a resigned look that told her he saw the fear in her eyes but he'd drop it for now. His eyes also held a promise that the discussion would resume again soon. For now, though, she could go back to denial land and just learn more about this man who in her eyes was simply amazing.

"Someday," he began in soft tone, as though he didn't want to speak of his dreams too loudly for fear that they would be stolen from him_,_ "I'd like to own a security company. I'd like to hire guys who are former military. A lot of times, guys like me have a hard time transitioning back into society. I'd like to own a company that would help with that and be able to provide top notch security for high end clients. It would have to start small, but with good word of mouth then it could really take off. Especially since I'd have highly trained experts on staff, I'd offer services that no other security company out there right now could."

"It sounds like you've thought a lot about it. What do the guys think?"

"I have put a lot of thought and research into it. I actually have a business plan already drawn up and ready to go when I'm a civilian again, but I haven't told the guys about it at all."

"Why not? Don't you want them involved?"

"Of course I do," he sighed. "I don't know, sometimes it just sounds like a pipe dream in my head. Actually, you're the first person I've ever told about it."

"Really?"

Ranger nodded yes, "I don't know why I haven't told them yet. I guess a part of me thinks it is a stupid idea."

"I don't think it is stupid at all. I think it is a great idea. Have you thought about what you'd call it?"

"Rangeman."

**###########################################**

_Present Day_

Ranger parked across the street from the Bonds office because his usual parking luck wasn't with him today. Gathering his body receipts to take in for Connie, he suddenly felt a tingle on the back of his neck. The tingle he hadn't felt in 10 years. Not since the last time he saw Stephanie.

That's when he noticed the leggy brunette with the wild curls getting into the Jeep Wrangler. He couldn't see her face, but he knew it was her, his Babe.

He sat there, stunned, as she drove off, all the nerve endings in his body screaming at him to turn over the engine and follow her. It was all he could do to keep his twitching fingers away from the key still plugged into the ignition. The rational soldier in him battled his impulses with the logic he'd always relied on. He had to let her go, just like he did all those years ago.

A lot of things may have changed in the past 10 years, his lifestyle for example. But two things hadn't, his overwhelming love and passion for her, and his reasons for not holding on to her and making her his for the rest of his life.

**############################################**

_Ft. Dix, NJ, 10 years ago_

Ranger and his team were pulling the hardest duty for any soldier. They were the honor guard for a fallen comrade in arms.

Captain Raymond Hicks had been killed by a terrorist bomb in Afghanistan. The place that Ranger and his team were soon to be deployed to.

As they escorted the flag draped casket from the plane, Ranger spotted Captain Raymond Hicks' widow sobbing in the arms of the General. The thought that it could be him coming home in a box and the General consoling Stephanie made his heart clench...

At the cemetery, Ranger looked at the distraught widow and her two small children as they clung to each other. When it was time to fold the flag, he stood in his position at the head and as he tucked in the final edge of the flag he presented it to the General.

Under his breath, General Plum said, "Thank goodness Stephanie has no interest in soldiers, because I never want her to go through this." With a shake of his head, the General turned to present the flag to Captain Hicks' widow.

Those words cut Ranger to the core, and he knew what he had to do.


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N - Here is an extra long chapter for you. Thank you as always to my Beta, Svendances. She has beta'd most of this but there is a part in the middle I added. She is wonderfully occupied with a lovely family visit, but I really wanted to share this, so I'm bravely moving forward without her review. If there is anything major that needs to be fixed, I might re-edit this chapter. **

**Thank you all so much for your reviews and encouragement. I appreciate it and please keep them coming! It encourages me to keep going!**

**As always, not mine but I'm enjoying playing with them in a new situation!**

**Chapter 3**

After dropping the body receipts off and collecting his check from Connie, Ranger returned to the new Rangeman office building on Haywood.

The building itself was seven stories, and located in the warehouse district. From the outside, it was a plain concrete building with few windows, but soon it would be transformed into the perfect headquarters for Rangeman Trenton. Once completed, this building would hold a full gun range, a state of the art gym, and a control room that rivaled NASA; not that you would guess that from its outward appearance. There would be living spaces for the men and Ranger would have his own apartment on the seventh floor.

Rangeman's second in command, and Ranger's best friend, Pierre "Tank" Sherman, would be arriving soon to review the plans for the renovation. But, instead of reviewing the plans again before their meeting like he normally would have, Ranger decided to do a little reconnaissance. Bringing up Google, he gave in to an urge he'd been fighting for the last 10 years and entered her name in the search engine.

He could have simply called Silvio in Miami, of course. The man was a whiz with the search programs they employed and could have had a Stephanie's full history emailed to Ranger's laptop within minutes. But he felt like that was going a bit too far and would invade her privacy.

After clicking the link to a local newspaper, he discovered that Stephanie had realized her dream of becoming a journalist and was now working at the Times of Trenton. The articles she had written were all investigative pieces that mostly centered on crimes that had been left unsolved. He could tell her instincts were sound and her outside the box thinking helped her find the answers that others hadn't seen.

"Proud of you, Babe," he thought to himself.

Returning to the search results, Ranger clicked on a link to an article about Stephanie herself. It was one of those lifestyle "where are they now?" pieces that was written during the last Olympics. The picture of Stephanie made his breath catch. She was just as beautiful as he remembered. Her curly brown locks framing her face, the smile that lights up a room and those big beautiful blue eyes. As he studied further, he could see that there was something different in her eyes, a sadness maybe, that cut him to the core.

Next to the article was a link to a video but he couldn't bring himself to click on it. Ranger knew if he clicked that link then he'd hear her voice, and he was sure he wasn't ready for that. His emotions were already brimming to the surface just seeing her face, and if he clicked that link, Ranger knew he would be lost, and that nothing in the world would stop him from going to her and damn the consequences.

"Ranger, are you OK man? You look like you just saw a ghost!" Tank exclaimed.

His eyes were drawn up... and up and up... to the imposing figure of his best friend. His nickname was an apt description. Tank's looming presence isn't just because of his height at 6'6", but also the fact that his musculature rivaled that of Arnold Schwarzenegger during his Mr. Universe days. His whole demeanor was intimidating and he had a look about him that made a person believe he could stop a tank just because he willed it. At his core, Tank was a kind hearted man and only a few knew that side of him.

The expression on Ranger's face must have belied the tumultuous emotions playing out beneath the surface, because Tank – usually silent as death – felt the need to speak once more, this time sounding more concerned. "Carlos, talk to me. I haven't seen that look on your face in ten years." He paused, apparently considering the time frame, before adding, "Not since the letter was sent to Stephanie."

The letter, that damn letter….

Ranger took a deep breath to regain his calm control, "I saw her today," he breathed, barely daring to say it out loud. "She's in Trenton."

"What? Stephanie? Are you sure? Did you talk to her?"

"Of course I'm sure. I'd know her anywhere," he sighed. "I saw her outside Vinnie's office, and she was getting into her car."

"Did you talk to her, Ranger?" Tank asked with more urgency.

"No, I didn't. I was across the street in my car when I saw her. She didn't see me."

"But you're GOING to talk to her, right?"

"I'm not going to do anything. There isn't any point. The only thing that has changed is I'm not wearing the uniform every day, but I can still be called up at any time. The government still owns my ass. It is one of the reasons we're here."

"Ranger, c'mon man. You.."

"No more, Tank," Ranger barked with his commander's voice. "Now report. Status on completing the renovation of the building," Ranger ordered and they got down to business.

**###########################################**

10 years ago, Ft. Dix

Sitting at the small desk in the barracks, Ranger looked down at the sealed and posted envelope that contained the letter he'd been trying to write since Hicks' funeral. Sending her a "Dear Stephanie" letter was taking the coward's way out, but it was his only option. Ranger knew that if he went to her and tried to say what was now written on the paper that he wouldn't be able to. One look in her blue eyes, and he'd be lost.

Contemplating the envelope in front of him, Ranger's thoughts were flooded with his memories of the past few weeks. He had been drawn to her like metal to a magnet the second he first saw her on the beach. Without thinking he found an excuse to go over and meet her, feeling a tingle in the back of his neck that grew stronger the closer he got to Stephanie. When he shook her hand in greeting, that tingle turned into an electric current that he felt in every nerve ending in his body.

As they spent time together, the soldier part of him that was rigorously controlled warred with the emotional man deep inside. The soldier told him that anything more than friendship with Stephanie was a bad idea. He would be deployed soon. A romantic entanglement would interfere with the concentration needed to get the job done. The man told him to give in, share things with her, hold her in his arms, and fall in love with her. Her love would provide the determination needed to return home from any dangerous situation he might find himself in.

The soldier lost the war, and the man roared with his victory.

Remembering their last weekend together, Ranger hung his head in his hands and closed his eyes. He could still see her smile, feel the touch of her skin, and hear her passionately moaning his name, Carlos…..

Now, fate had given him a cruel reminder through Hicks' funeral and the General's words that the soldier should have won the war. Ranger shouldn't have given in to what the emotional man wanted.

His tormented thoughts were interrupted by the concerned voice of his best friend.

"Ranger, are you seriously still trying to do this? It's been two days and the wastebasket is full of paper. Doesn't that tell you this is wrong?"

"I have to do this. I can't do that to her, Tank. I looked at Hicks' widow and I saw how broken she was. I can't do that to Stephanie. I shouldn't have gotten involved with her to begin with. We're about to be deployed, my life doesn't lend itself to relationships. It is better for her if we stop this now," as he turned back to grab the envelope on the desk.

A large hand grabbed his wrist and turned him around and looked him in the eye, "You need to think about this. We have the training exercise this weekend, so she isn't expecting you. Just take the time and think about it first because if you don't, you'll regret it. That girl is special, man, one in a million."

Ranger nodded and put the letter in the desk drawer.

**###########################################**

Stephanie closed the browser session and absentmindedly reached back to rub at the base of her neck. As realization dawned on her she froze. In all of the rush of emotions, she hadn't recognized that she'd felt that familiar tingle as she got in her Jeep outside of Vinnie's office. He'd been close, she was sure of it.

Did he realize they had been in such close proximity? Does he have the same sense of her presence that she does of his? What will happen when their paths crossed again? Could she handle seeing him considering what they'd shared the last night they were together? The questions rumbled through her mind like thunder on a stormy night, refusing to be ignored and accompanied by flashes of insight like lightening.

Eventually, Stephanie shook her head. She didn't have time for the distraction of thinking about Carlos. There was a story out there and she needed to get to the bottom of it.

While at the Bonds office, Steph had obtained a list of the Slayers that Vinnie had bonded out repeatedly from Connie. Opening her special search engine, she started entering the names. As each search completed, she printed them out and went through the information highlighting the pertinent information.

One name kept coming up time and time again, Pablo Barrentes.

**##############################################**

Frank was sitting at his desk reviewing paperwork when the alert went off on his computer. He read it and with a sigh rested his head in his hands. Damn it; leave it to his Pumpkin to find this name before he was ready. The pride he felt that she found the name this quick dueled with his sense of duty and what it meant for the mission he was "not" conducting.

The Barrentes Op started out as something that fell within Frank's jurisdiction out of country. Now that Barrentes was "in country" it was technically out of his realm and Frank had to work with one of the "alphabets." However, Frank had a team that was fully briefed and now they were working off book, so to speak.

Picking up the phone, he dialed Stephanie to see what kind of information he could glean from her. He hated this, but Pumpkin finding Barrentes' name could put her in a lot of danger. In order to properly assess this situation, he had to find out what she knew.

"Hi Daddy, how's Washington?" she answered.

"Good Pumpkin, what are you up to?" Frank asked his daughter.

"Not much, just working on a story."

"What have you got, honey? Something good?"

"I think maybe, this could be pretty big. I don't want to talk about it too much right now though." Stephanie paused with a sigh that Frank could hear loud and clear through the phone that indicated something was bothering her. "Daddy, can I ask you about something?"

"Of course, Pumpkin," Frank held his breath wondering if she was going to ask about Barrentes.

"What do you know about Rangeman Security?"

That certainly wasn't the direction he thought she was going to take.

"I know the owner, he is a former Ranger and he and his team did some specialized training with me at Ft. Dix The summer you and Mary Lou spent at Point Pleasant. Why?" Frank asked as he tapped the fountain pen Stephanie had given to him on his desk.

"No reason really, just the name came up today when I was talking to Connie when I went by Vinnie's," Stephanie sighed into the phone with a hint of sadness, and that is when Frank put two and two together and came up with four.

Frank knew his daughter had fallen in love with someone that summer and her heart had been broken when he ended their relationship. That heartbreak had changed his baby girl. She was still fiercely independent and stubborn, but she had lost some of the trusting nature she had before. He had seen her close herself off to possible relationships after the heartbreak she had suffered that summer.

Now, he had a name for that heartbreak.

"I have to go, Daddy. I need to follow up on this lead I have. I'll see you this weekend, right?" she inquired.

"Yes, I'll be home on Friday. I have some business to take care of while I'm there." Business that just got a lot more interesting, Frank mused as he said goodbye to Stephanie and disconnected the call.

Frank considered Manoso an honorable man and someone who could be a good match for Stephanie if they ever met. The knowledge they had obviously fallen hard for each other, and the impact Ranger had made on his daughter's heart when it was broken made Frank wonder about the cause of their breakup.

Maybe, just maybe, he could do something about it…

Turning to the safe hidden in the credenza behind his desk, Frank entered the code and removed the secure sat phone.

"Timetable has moved up. The chess piece is in play. There are complications to discuss."

**A/N - I want to put this out there. This is A/U, so the characters are not exactly how JE writes them. Ranger to me is a complicated fellow. He may be able to exude the cool calm blank exterior but I believe deep down his emotions are raging and his brain is always a really busy place! I believe him when he says he's an opportunist, but there is also a really scared dude in there too where his emotions are concerned...so hence my version of soldier vs. man. He is Latin and a passionate person. I firmly believe that if Carlos came out to play in JE's books instead of just the soldier being in control Steph and Ranger would be together with or without babies forever! That's my opinion and the way I am trying to write him in this story. My first story he was a bit more free with his feelings but the reason was he was done with his contract and Ranger didn't need to be in control anymore.**

**Anyway, please let me know what you think. Oh and a big thank you to margaret aka whymelucylu for being a sounding board today and giving me encouragement that the part that wasn't beta'd didn't suck!  
**


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N - Sorry it has been two weeks since I posted. Life got in the way. I'm hoping I'm going to be able to get into a rhythm of at least a post a week. I know you guys would like more often, but once a week is going to be the best I can do.**

**I'm behind on replying to reviews also. I'll get on that this week.  
**

**Thanks as always to my Beta, Svendances. You rock!**

**Please review and let me know what you think! It helps keep me motivated to write!**

**Chapter 4**

**A/N – Lines in Italics are spoken in Spanish**

After re-reading through the search results on Barrantes, Stephanie picked up her phone and dialed the one man besides her father that she could completely rely on. Her faith in men had been shattered after she received Carlos' letter. Never again would she allow herself to be hurt that way again.

Stephanie shook her head to clear it as her call was answered.

"_Hello, Angel. Are you calling for a date?"_ he asked with that sexy tone that always made Steph smile.

_"Of course, Loverboy,"_ Stephanie couldn't help but giggle back. _"It's Wednesday, so you know what that means…" _

_"Definitely. See you tonight, Angel. We have much to discuss."_

**###############################################**

**The Tasty Pastry, 12 years ago**

Stephanie was wrapping up a long shift at the Tasty Pastry when Joe Morelli sauntered in to the bakery. "Shit," she thought to herself. Tired as she was, she was definitely not in the mood for a run in with the self proclaimed bad boy of the Burg tonight. Morelli seemed to think that all women, especially Stephanie, should fall at his feet. Steph on the other hand, just found him repulsive. If there was one thing she couldn't stomach it was chauvinistic assholes, and Morelli was their king.

Most of the girls in the Burg thought Joe was a real catch, but Stephanie couldn't stand him. Joe had wavy brown hair, a fit build, and fairly nice features. However, there was something in his eyes and the way that Joe looked at her that made Stephanie uncomfortable. It made her feel like he thought she was his possession or something.

"Hey there, Cupcake!" he greeted, coming over to lean on the service counter directly in front of Stephanie. She unconsciously took a step back out of his reach. "You're getting off soon, right? I can think of a few ways to help you with that," he intoned lecherously with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

She groaned at his "subtle" pick up line. It was all she could do not to vomit at the very thought of being with him. "Stop calling me Cupcake!" she snapped. "Not interested, Morelli, and never will be. If you're not going to order something, then GET OUT!" Stephanie yelled pointing towards the door.

The sooner this jackass was out of her site, the better. Steph already felt like she would need to shower with a wire brush to get rid of the lingering feel of this encounter crawling on her skin.

"Sure, Cupcake," he grinned, trying to sweet talk her once more with the nickname she despised. "How about half a dozen of those cannolis over there?"

With a sigh, Stephanie grabbed a piece of tissue paper and turned towards cannoli case, but only because she'd be torn to shreds by her boss if she didn't. As she grabbed the pastry she felt a presence behind her. Without thought, Stephanie spun, swinging her fist and as she heard the bone of Joe's nose crush under her knuckles, the cannoli cream exploded over his face. Not giving him a chance to recover, Steph then brought her knee up and connected to Joe's family jewels and watched with satisfaction as he crumpled to the ground.

Stephanie jumped as she felt a hand on her back. She whirled around but Hector easily caught her fist in his with a chuckle. She hadn't heard him come in. Way to be aware of your surroundings, Plum.

"_Nice punch," he complimented. "Your knee is deadly, Angel. Stupid Morelli, I should kill him for trying to pull that crap with you. I'll take the trash out while you close up," _Hector growled as he reached down and grabbed a groaning Morelli by his ankles and dragged him out the door letting the glass door to the bakery bang Joe in the head as it closed.

Steph giggled at the sight and then started cleaning up while reflecting on how she met Hector. His younger sister, Lena, was one of her students. Teaching a self defence class at the Y near Stark Street was a way of giving back to the underprivileged kids there. Giving back to the community was something that her Dad had always instilled in her.

One night after class, Stephanie heard loud and threatening voices coming from the alley alongside the Y. When she investigated, Steph found Lena being cornered by two men armed with knives. They were from a rival gang, as Hector informed her later, and wanted to hurt Lena to send a message to her brother because he was one of the leaders of the Latin Kings. Lena saw when Stephanie started to move up behind the two men. Steph signaled to Lena and they both struck at the same time and took the men by surprise and incapacitated them.

After calling the police and ensuring the two men were in custody, Stephanie took Lena home. When Hector found out what had happened, he pledged to protect Stephanie always for saving his little sister.

The next night, Stephanie noticed that Hector was watching from the shadows as she closed up at the Tasty Pastry and she gave him a finger wave as she got into her car. This became a ritual for a week or so, but each night she noticed he came closer and closer until he started walking her to the Buick. Eventually, they started talking and now Hector was her best friend as much as Mary Lou.

Steph was grateful that her self-proclaimed bodyguard was there tonight. Sure, she could take care of herself as was just proven to that asshole Morelli, but it was still nice to know she had back-up anyway. Being a soldier's daughter certainly taught her that you never go into battle without backup.

_"Ready, Angel?" _

"_What did you do with Morelli?" _Stephanie asked as she walked out the door Hector was holding open for her.

_"I told you, I took out the trash. And the trash may or may not have a broken leg…." _Hector grinned and winked at Steph.

**#########################################**

_Present Day_

Standing at just under 6' tall, with dark hair, a muscular frame, and a teardrop tattoo under his eye, he knew he attracted attention. He could have his pick for company, man or woman, but tonight he was at Oasis waiting for her.

From their coded conversation earlier, he knew by the mention of the day of the week that she'd be here in the short blonde wig wearing a black dress and red FMPs. His eyes scanned the crowd waiting for her appearance, knowing there would be a ripple through the crowd when she appeared, there always was. Stephanie may be unaware of it, but she caused a reaction wherever she went.

He went to the bar and ordered a Modelo and he felt the electricity in the crowd that announced her arrival. As he took his first sip of the beer, he felt her hand on his back as she whispered in his ear, _"Hi Loverboy, want to dance?"_

He took her hand in his and guided her to the dance floor. They danced together closely, as if they were lovers, her hands in his hair, his hand on her ass, their hips grinding to the music.

Her lips at his ear, she whispered, _"I've found a name. It keeps coming up with the Slayers who get bonded out after the raids."_

_"Probably the same name I was going to give you, tonight. Barrentes,"_ he whispered as he nibbled at her ear and she nodded that it was the same. _"He is a dangerous man, Angel. We both must continue to be cautious."_

_"He runs drugs and guns out of Columbia, so that explains why the Slayers are so well supplied. What I don't understand is why Trenton?" _she asked while trailing kisses along his neck.

_"I heard talk that leads me to believe he is either in town or on his way. Angel, be careful. I can't watch you all the time or they'll discover what I am doing," _Hector pleaded as he cupped her face with his hands and made her look in his eyes.

_"I promise. I will go to the TPD tomorrow and find out what I can about the raids from Gazarra. Dad will be in town this weekend. I'm sure he'd love to see you," _with a kiss to his cheek Stephanie turned and left the dance floor.

Hector went back to the bar and ordered another beer. He settled at a table and began to look for a companion for the evening. Though he prefers male companionship, dancing with Steph always left him turned on.

**################################################**

Morelli looked up from the report he was reading and watched as Stephanie strode through the precinct to Gazzara's desk. Cupcake was looking good in a charcoal grey skirt, white blouse, and black three inch heels. He'd love to have those long legs wrapped around him with her wearing those shoes and nothing else.

Too bad she'd been such a prude that night at the Tasty Pastry and kicked his ass. He could think of much better uses of all that energy she used that night. One day though, he'd have her. It was just a matter of time. It was fate.

**####################################**

Stephanie walked over to her cousin-in-law Eddie Gazarra's desk, pointedly ignoring Morelli's leering grin and the feeling that he was undressing her with his eyes. She needed a shower, maybe with bleach.

Eddie sat back up with a file he had grabbed out of his filing cabinet, "What's up, Steph?"

Sitting down at the chair next to Eddie's desk with her back to the rest of the precinct, "How's Shirley?" she asked.

"Good. Now, what do you really want to know?" Eddie laughed as he looked over at Stephanie.

Steph smiled and replied quietly, "Slayers. What is going on? The charges keep getting dropped."

"I can't talk about it, Steph." Moving his desk chair closer to her, he whispered, "not here

She nodded back at him. Picked up a pen and a piece of paper and wrote "Rossini's, 30 minutes," and shifted the paper back to Eddie who nodded in response.

"Dad will be in town this weekend. Maybe you and Shirley will be able to join us for dinner while he's here," Steph said casually over her shoulder as she grabbed the note she'd written for Eddie off his desk and strolled out of the precinct.


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N -Surprise! I bet you guys didn't expect to hear from me today! So, happy Friday with a new chapter!  
**

**FYI, for the purposes of this story, Ranger is a few years older than Steph and in case it wasn't clear, she is 18 when they met on the beach.. I know in canon they are the same age.  
**

**Thanks as always to my beta Svendances! She is the best! **

**Thank you for your reviews! I'm still behind on responding but will be getting to that today. Please let me know what you think of this chapter, especially if you have favorited or followed this story but haven't reviewed yet. It really helps me to know what you like and where you think the story is going or where it should go, or what you just can't stand about it! I adore constructive criticism! **

**Not mine. JE's. However, I think she is misusing them. LOL. ;-P**

**Chapter 5**

Stephanie had just pulled her beloved Jeep into a parking spot at Rossini's with five minutes to spare. Something felt a bit off about this whole situation and she sat for a minute contemplating what it could be. Eddie not wanting to talk at the station was odd even though his desk is located in the bullpen area. He'd never had a problem answering a question or two from her there before. Could there be police involvement with Barrentes? That was the only thing that made sense to her.

She got out and went in to get a table in the back before Eddie arrived. It was only 11, so she knew the restaurant would be mostly empty. In order to protect them both, a booth in the back and away from the windows was necessary.

Arranging herself at the requested table with her back to the wall, Stephanie was able to view the whole room. There was only one other customer across the room and no one she recognized. Eddie arrived and crossed over to the table and sat down next to her.

He looked directly in her eyes and confided, "I shouldn't be here. Honestly, I'm afraid to be seen talking to you. I don't think I was followed here, but I'm sure some of the guys noticed something when you came to talk to me."

"There's some kind of police involvement with this deal isn't there, Eddie? Is the evidence disappearing or something?" she asked quietly.

Eddie's eyes widened telling Steph she'd hit the nail on the head. "Do you know this name?" she asked as she pulled a piece of paper out of her purse and handed it to Eddie.

Again, Eddie's eyes got wide. "You need to forget that name, Stephanie. He's dangerous. This whole situation is dangerous. I don't want to know that name and I'm a cop! I know how you are when you've got a mystery to solve, but this isn't one you should be anywhere near."

"Walk away from this before you get more involved, before you get hurt," Eddie slid his chair back and left.

**#################################**

"The journalist, Plum, she met with Gazarra. She's investigating the Slayers. I couldn't hear everything, but I think she's made the connection, sir."

"Put some fear in her," came the voice from the other end of the phone line.

"Yes, sir. I'd love nothing more," he responded.

"Yes, fear is exactly what Stephanie Plum needs," the man thought to himself as he watched her get into a Jeep and drive away.

**###########################################**

Stephanie had just gotten back to her apartment and laid down on her bed in her "thinking" position, face down with her legs spread apart, when her cell phone rang. It was playing the "Star Spangled Banner" which was her Father's ring tone.

"Hi Daddy, are we still on for dinner tomorrow?" she inquired.

"There's been a change of plans, Pumpkin. I need you to catch the afternoon train from Philly to DC. I know you are working on a story, but something's come up that I need to discuss with you, in person."

"Is everything ok with Grandma Mazur? Valerie? What's going on Daddy?" she asked in an almost panic as she sat up on her bed.

"No, Pumpkin, they are both fine. Grandma is in Florida getting into trouble as usual and Val is fine in California. This is something else, and I need you to come here so I can discuss it with you. There is a 2:30 train that will get you here this evening and then you can come straight to my office. Can you make it?"

"Sure, Daddy, I'll leave now to head to the train station," her curiosity was definitely piqued.

"That's my girl. I'll see you soon, Pumpkin," and he disconnected the call.

Stephanie grabbed a bag and packed a few things in case she stayed overnight. As she hopped in the Jeep to make the trek south to Philly, she reflected on that night at the beach and the last time someone called her their girl.

**Point Pleasant, 10 years ago**

Stephanie was strolling on the beach hand in hand with Ranger, holding her sandals in her other hand and he had a blanket in his. She decided to pick up the game they had started the weekend before in the hammock.

"My turn again," she said and she glanced over seeing she'd gotten a grin from Ranger. "How many girlfriends have you had?"

Ranger laughed and pulled her towards him, "Do I get to count you, too?" Tangling his hand in her hair, he pulled her toward him and kissed her until she was breathless.

Recovering her senses she winked at him and said coyly, "I suppose so, but only if you plan to keep kissing me like that."

Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her closer and kissed her again. When he broke the kiss, he whispered in her ear, "I definitely see a lot of kisses like that in our future. To answer your question, I've had enough to know that there is no one like you."

Stephanie was stunned and just stood there staring at him.

Ranger laid the blanket out on the beach and sat down pulling her toward him and settling her between his legs with her back to his front bracing his arms behind him. "My turn, Babe. How do you feel about us? Is this just a summer fling for you? I need to know because I'm going to have to leave in a few weeks, and I need to know if I'll have a girl to write home to."

Gasping, Stephanie tried to get her thoughts under control. She knew from their time on the hammock that this conversation was coming. Knowing he wouldn't let it go, she'd escaped in to Denial Land that night. Denial wasn't going to help her now.

"I'd love it if you'd write to me," that was a safe answer she thought to herself.

"Stephanie, would I be writing to my friend, or to my girl?" Ranger asked as he tilted her face sideways so he was able to look in her eyes.

"Do you want me to be your girl?" she asked thinking she'd let him tell her first. It was too much for her to go out on the limb first. The thought of being out there by herself petrified her.

Ranger looked at her and she could tell he saw the struggle in her eyes, "Why can't you tell me, Babe. Why can't you tell me what you want?"

"I don't deal with emotions well. I have a General for a father. My Dad is great and so are my grandparents, but we've never been one of those families that are expressive and talk about feelings. It doesn't come easy to me to say what I feel, and I don't have a lot of experience with this," she stammered out the last part and blushed.

Ranger traced his finger along her cheekbone where she knew there was a rosy hue, "You don't have a lot of experience with what exactly?"

Mentally, Stephanie put on her big girl panties, then she pulled herself up from his chest, turned around on the blanket so she could look into his eyes, and confessed, "Relationships, Ranger, I don't have a lot of experience with relationships."

Ranger started to speak, but Stephanie held her hand up to silence him and continued, "I've spent my whole life overachieving to atone for the guilt I felt over the death of my mother. I was involved in a lot of activities; I got straight A's in school and was the valedictorian. I only have two really good friends, and I never really dated anyone. This whole thing is new to me," as she gestured between the two of them.

"Babe, I had no idea," he reached over and cupped his hand on her face and she leaned into him. "You're so beautiful, kind, spunky, and special, I figured all the boys in school would have been falling over themselves to date you."

Stephanie smiled, "Well, your Dad cleaning his pistol at the table with a deadly look in his eye when a boy comes to pick you up tends to not lead to a second date."

Ranger grinned as she continued, "Although, that happened more with my sister, Valerie, and I was usually right beside my Dad cleaning my own gun."

A 200 watt smile nearly blinded her with its beauty as Ranger huskily asked, "You know how to clean a gun? Can you shoot one too?"

He started to gently brush his finger on her arm in a slow, leisurely fashion. She gasped as the fire she felt at his touch ignited her whole body. "How could a light touch along my arm make me feel like this?" she thought to herself.

"When I was 12, my Dad took me to the gun range on base and started training me on how to properly handle and shoot a gun. Within a year, I had better marksman scores than the Rangers my Dad was training. Did I tell you that I am the only woman to win three gold medals in rifling in the same Olympic Games? I told you I was an overachiever," she grinned.

As she spoke, Ranger's eyes got wider and wider with amazement, "Holy crap! You're SureShot! There's a plaque with your nickname on it at the gun range in Ft. Benning. I'd heard a few stories….I should have realized it was you when you told me who your Dad was! If I wasn't already falling in love with you, then I sure would be now! There is nothing sexier to a soldier than a woman who knows how to handle a weapon," he whispered the last almost breathlessly as he pulled her to him and claimed her mouth with his own.

After minutes, hours, days, as she wasn't sure how long the kiss lasted, Stephanie opened her eyes to Ranger above her stroking her face with tenderness and gazing into her eyes. She wasn't sure how she had ended up with her back on the blanket and his body over hers. As her brain cleared from the headiness of the kiss, she realized what he'd said.

"Did you say you're falling in love with me?" she asked with a wide eyed expression.

"Yeah, Babe, I did and I am," as he continued to stroke her face, his eyes gazing at her with emotions she didn't have enough experience to fully comprehend.

"To answer your question, yes, I'm your girl," she proclaimed as she pulled him to her and kissed him with every ounce of her being.

When he broke contact with her mouth some indeterminate time later, she looked at his face and realized he was trying to get himself back under control as the evidence of his desire was quite evident against her belly. She felt her breath hitch and let out a moan, as Ranger heard it he rolled away from her with a groan and she felt bereft at the loss of his weight against her body.

A moment later, he sat up again and settled her between his legs, her back to his front once again. He cradled her in his arms and whispered in her ear, "My girl doesn't call me Ranger. My girl calls me Carlos."


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N- Sorry it has been so long since I posted. I know it has been over a month. I had a couple of deaths in my family and I was depressed which made it harder to write. I am back now and I still promise I will finish this story! I'm sorry again for how long it has been since I posted, but hoping you guys are out there waiting for this chapter helped motivate me to get back to it!**

**This chapter is totally from 10 years ago. I hope you like it. Unless my muse comes up with something else, I don't think there will be any additional flashbacks. Hopefully, this will answer any questions you have about what happened.**

**Thanks again to my wonderful beta, Svendances! She helped me get back in the swing of things and checked in several times to make sure I was ok. Her guidance definitely got this chapter to what I wanted it to be and her prodding got me back to writing this story again.**

**As always, please read and review! Let me know what you like and what you don't. I'm going to take some time this weekend to respond to reviews and I'm diligently working on the next chapter. I hope to have it to my beta soon for her insightful edits.**

**Anything written in italics is in Spanish.**

**Chapter 6**

**Ft. Dix, 10 years ago**

The training mission was very successful. Ranger and his team had successfully extracted their target and eliminated the enemy in record time, and with no "casualties" to their team. They had surpassed expectations on the test that General Plum was known for making extremely difficult. The other guys were celebrating, but Ranger had business to attend to.

He needed to tear up that stupid letter and call his girl.

Smiling to himself, Carlos thought of her and everything they had shared their last weekend together. The letter had been a stupid reaction, despite his training, to the overwhelming joy he'd felt in his Babe's arms and then the crushing sadness of Hicks' funeral. As much as Carlos hated to admit he'd been wrong and Tank was right, he would have regretted it for the rest of his life if he had sent the letter while riding that emotional rollercoaster. His Babe was special and he would find a way to become worthy of her. Even if it took the rest of his life… Especially if it took the rest of his life, because that was how long he wanted to be with her.

With these thoughts rushing through his mind, Carlos walked to his desk in the barracks and opened the drawer. As he stared at the almost empty drawer, Carlos felt his stomach suddenly in his throat. The letter was gone. He searched the desk but it wasn't there. Thinking maybe he moved it to his footlocker, Carlos rummaged through the contents, desperately seeking the letter there but didn't find it.

Returning to the desk drawer for one final, desperate look he discovered that a folded piece of paper and some change were the only contents in the drawer. He grabbed the paper, unfolded it and read:

_Was scrounging for a stamp and found your letter stamped and ready to go, so I posted it for you. You're welcome, Diesel. P.S. Here's the money for the stamp I took._

Carlos crumpled the note in his hand with a growl. He had no way of knowing when Diesel had posted the letter so maybe there was a chance his Babe hadn't received it yet and he could find a way to intercept it first. Even if she had received it, he knew he could explain it as temporary insanity once she heard everything. Carlos dialed her number believing everything would be ok once he spoke to his love, his Stephanie. It had to be.

It became obvious that luck was not with him when the normally very mild mannered Mary Lou answered with a venomous tone to her voice, "How DARE you call here?"

"Mary Lou, let me explain," he requested reasonably.

"Explain? EXPLAIN? Explain what exactly, Asshole?" Mary Lou screamed.

"Please, Lou, let me talk to her. I never meant for that letter to be sent! Please, let me talk to Stephanie!" he almost begged.

"No! You son of a bitch I WON'T LET YOU talk to Steph and there will be NO explaining. What fucking game you are playing here? How the hell do you have the nerve to call here after what you have done? I just got her calmed down from the hysterical crying she has been doing since she got your letter! But let me reiterate to you right now, you will NEVER speak to her again!" Mary Lou slammed the phone down disconnecting the call.

With a bellow, Carlos grabbed the base of the phone on the desk and sent it hurtling towards the wall, reveling as it smashed, with the guts of the phone bouncing off the wall. _ It wasn't enough._ Turning his attention back to the desk he swept his arm across it. The contents scattered loudly, including the porcelain Wonder Woman figurine that Stephanie had given him which shattered on impact sending the tiny pieces to the floor around him. With a laser focus at what he'd done, Carlos picked up the broken shards feeling his chest heaving as he realized that in his rage he'd destroyed such a precious gift from his Babe_. _Clenching the jagged pieces in his hand and feeling the edges pierce his skin, suddenly he heard thunderous footsteps approach.

Carlos was ready to fight the intruders until he realized it was Tank, Santos and Brown. They entered the barracks with guns drawn, assessing the room for threats. It didn't take long for them to realize the only the threat in the room was himself and the only one who he'd harm was himself.

"What the hell did that desk ever do to you, _cousin_?" Santos asked in his joking tone, as the three of them assessed the mess on the floor.

Carlos glared back with a haunted expression on his face, sweating and still trying to regain control over his breath.

"Ranger, what the fuck, man? You look like you've seen a ghost!" exclaimed Tank.

"She got the letter, Tank. Some fuckhead found it looking for a fucking stamp and sent it to her. Mary Lou just screamed at me and wouldn't let me talk to Stephanie!" Carlos informed them with a tone that hinted at his broken control as he handed Tank the crumpled note from the drawer.

As Tank read the note, Carlos was looking around the room for something else to destroy, something else to take this rage out on. Lester recognized this action, and knew that he had found nothing to satisfy the beast within. It was time to run interference.

Lester Santos, while technically his cousin, was more of a brother. In fact, they were almost twins. Born within days of each other, they'd felt a kinship for each other that neither had experienced with their actual blood brothers.

They'd had plenty of opportunity to play together growing up, as their mothers were sisters and best friends, spending much of their time in each other's company. Any trouble Lester got into, so did Carlos and vice versa. If Lester was caught holding the tail of a dead snake, you could bet your house that Carlos would be examining the head at the other end. As they grew older, the bond they shared never dwindled. In most respects, it only strengthened.

As such, Lester was the only one who stood even a chance at getting through to Carlos in this state and everyone in the room knew it.

"Go to her, Carlos, and explain. If you don't try, you'll never forgive yourself. We're about to ship out for some God forsaken 'Stan and we need our leader," Santos said with a hand on Carlos' arm.

Carlos was jolted to reality by his cousin's words and realized Lester spoke the truth. He locked eyes with him and nodded.

"You need backup?" Tank and Brown asked together.

Carlos shook his head no and made a dash for his vehicle in the lot.

Driving to Pt. Pleasant like a bat out of hell, he was awash with memories of the last few weekends he had spent with his Babe.

After the Intel he'd gotten from Stephanie about her lack of experience in relationships while they were on the beach, Carlos spent the next few weeks properly courting his girl. He had taken her out to dinner, dancing, and to the movies. They'd taken long walks on the beach, and spent hours talking, making out and dreaming of their future during his downtime from training. He treated her like a lady and kept himself in control always, despite his Babe's persistence otherwise. He didn't want to take advantage of her innocence and it took every ounce of control he possessed, as Carlos was determined to wait until he could return from his deployment safe and sound, and could truly offer her the future he wanted for them.

Before his last trip to see her, she had called him earlier in the week and asked that he not plan anything for Friday night as she wanted to make dinner for them. When he arrived, Stephanie was dressed in a beautiful blue wrap around dress that matched her eyes and matching blue leather peep toe shoes with a 4 inch heel that almost made up for the difference in their height.

He was entranced.

Stepping inside, Carlos took her in his arms and kissed her softly. He cupped her face in his hands and told her how beautiful she looked and he received one of her blinding smiles in return.

"Lou is gone for the weekend. She went back home to work on wedding plans with her mom and future mother-in-law. She won't be back until Monday morning. So, we have the place to ourselves, Carlos," Stephanie informed him as she led him to the dining room and gave him a smile over her shoulder with a twinkle in her eye at the latter part of her statement.

_My God! She is going to kill me! _Carlos thought to himself. Mentally he began coming up with activities they could do outside the house. He was determined not to cross the line no matter how much she tempted him.

Stephanie had gone all out tonight. The dining room was set formally with linens and candles. She confessed that Mary Lou had helped her before leaving because his Babe wasn't very good in the kitchen. They sat close together, talked and they even fed each other every so often. Stephanie would find ways to touch him and it only served to test his self control to the brink. When she started moaning her way through dessert, Carlos shot up from his chair and excused himself to the half bathroom at the front of the house before he took her right there.

Carlos spent a few minutes staring at his reflection in the mirror in order to regain control over the warring feelings within. It wouldn't be right to take things further right now, not with his deployment fast approaching. He washed some cold water over his face, dried it and left the bathroom returning to the dining room and his Babe.

But, Stephanie wasn't in the dining room. The dishes were still on the table but the candles had been extinguished.

"Babe?" he called out into the stillness of the house. Carlos wondered if he'd upset her by excusing himself to the bathroom. The last thing he wanted was for her feelings to be hurt.

Carlos checked the kitchen and the living room but she wasn't there. Stepping out on the patio he could see that Stephanie wasn't there or on the beach. "Babe?" he called out again and still there was no answer as he closed the patio door returning inside the house.

Moving towards the back of the house, Carlos approached the hallway he knew contained the bedrooms and another bathroom. He turned to his left and found the door to Stephanie's room was ajar and soft light was flickering into the hallway.

"Steph?" he called as he opened the door. Once he entered the room, he saw the candles spaced around the room and felt her presence but didn't see her. Suddenly, he felt her behind him but before he could turn around she covered his eyes with her hands and spoke to him.

"Carlos, I want this. Stop being a gentleman. I want you. I want my first time to be with you. I want you to make love to me. I know the dangers you are facing. I don't care. I want to be with you. I want you to make me yours."

She removed her hands from his eyes and stepped in front of him. His Babe was a vision in a blue negligee the same shade as her eyes. She grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the bed. Carlos could no longer think rationally, he could no longer resist. He did as she asked, took his time, worshipped her and made her his all weekend long.

Shaking himself from the memories of her soft silky skin on his, the way she tasted, the sounds his Babe made as he loved her completely, Carlos finally pulled up to the house in Pt. Pleasant. Running from the car to get to her, he was met at the door before he could even knock by Mary Lou and a Hispanic man with gang tattoos, one being a teardrop under his eye. Carlos knew this man must be the elusive Hector he'd heard so much about. This man was his Babe's self appointed guardian and her other best friend.

"What the fuck are you doing here? How DARE you? I told you that you will NEVER speak to her again. What part of that didn't you understand, asshole?" Mary Lou screamed at him.

Just as he was about to respond, he heard Stephanie scream his name, "Carlos!" and the agony in her voice cut him in his soul. He tried to get around them to get to her so he could soothe her and comfort her in order to drive that gut wrenching sound from his Babe. But, Mary Lou turned back into the house as Hector grabbed him and tackled him to the ground in front of the house.

Before Carlos could react, Hector had a knife to his throat. "_You will leave here today and never try to contact Stephanie again, motherfucker," he seethed. "I read your letter, you are a coward. You took her innocence and then broke it off with her with some excuse of protecting her! You are not worthy of my Angel! I swear on my life, I will never allow you to hurt her again! Get the fuck up asshole and leave now before I slit your throat like you deserve! But know this, _**_I_**_ will pick up the pieces of her heart and help her put them back together. _**_I_**_ will help her heal. _**_I _**_will make sure she moves on. Live with that, Carlos!" _Hector spat the words in Carlos' face and he knew there was nothing he could say.

Hector released him and returned to the house where Stephanie could still be heard crying out his name. Carlos was dying inside as he came to terms with the fact that she was no longer his, no longer his Babe. Hector was right, he wasn't worthy of her.

Carlos drove in a fog for what felt like hours, all he could feel was the rage. He'd let the best thing in his life slip away because of his own stupidity.

Several hours later, Tank and Lester found him in the gym beating away his pain mindlessly while swinging at the punching bag, and wishing it was an enemy he was envisioning instead of himself.

Once he became aware of his surroundings, he looked at his brothers in arms with an expression they'd only seen during training; Ranger's face was completely blank. All traces of Carlos were gone, only the soldier remained.

**A/N 2 – If any of you are disappointed with the fact that there wasn't more detail (smut) for their first time, I'm sorry. I just couldn't bring myself to actually write smutty details about Steph losing her virginity. If you haven't read any of my other stories, I can write the smut and probably will later in the story. I just couldn't do it in this chapter. Please, please, please leave me a review! It helps motivate me to write faster!**


	8. Chapter 7

**A/N - Hi everyone. Here is the latest chapter. Sorry that it has been a few weeks but things in my RL have been really crazy to put it mildly. **

**Please read and review! I really enjoy your feedback and it gets me writing. I'm hoping to get into a regular posting schedule, but I'm writing this as I go so that is why it has been so slow. Sorry!**

**If I haven't gotten back to you on a review, I'm sorry. I hope to catch up soon. Please know I have read each and every one and I love all of your feedback.**

**Thanks for staying with me and I hope you continue to enjoy the story. Thanks as always to my awesome beta, Svendances! She keeps me in line and draws more out of my ideas for this story.**

**As always, not mine, just enjoying playing with the characters in a different universe.**

**Chapter 7**

**Washington, DC**

Upon hanging up with his daughter, Frank checked the time, noticing that there were only a few minutes before Ranger was due to arrive. Leaning back in his chair, he thought back over the past 24 hours and the consequences of the decisions he'd made regarding Stephanie and the Barrentes Op.

Soon after receiving the alert that Stephanie had found the Barrentes connection to the Slayers, Frank got a message from his special operative, Talon, to notify him that Stephanie was being watched and was in danger. Talon was keeping a close eye on her, but that didn't ease Frank's fears for his daughter. It was time to pull her in and make sure she was fully protected. Realizing how stubborn his Pumpkin was, Frank knew that if he tried to get her to give up on investigating the Slayers for the newspaper Stephanie would fight him tooth and nail and eventually go off on her own anyway. Going off on her own without any back up would guarantee that his daughter would get hurt. No, it was better to bring her in fully now, even if it would bring her closer to the "alphabet" agencies that Frank wanted Stephanie to continue to avoid after she told them no the first time.

The "alphabets" had never stopped trying to recruit Stephanie, contacting her several times over the past 12 years. The spooks just didn't think that Frank knew. Those idiots always did underestimate him. Using this knowledge, Frank suggested that Stephanie should be brought into the operation and they jumped at the chance to finally get their hooks into her. Of course, Frank had a plan to keep her out of that life once Barrentes was dealt with, but those idiots don't know that. Frank knew he'd be able to keep his Pumpkin away from them, especially since Ranger was involved.

By pulling her into the Op, Stephanie and Ranger would have to find a way to work together now, and Frank needed to know that Manoso was willing to protect his little girl in spite of whatever happened between them 10 years ago. He just needed to figure out a way to find out for sure, without letting Ranger know that Frank knows about their past relationship.

Frank's secretary buzzed the intercom and announced Ranger's arrival. With a deep breath, he controlled his thoughts and emotions, and slammed down his blank face as Manoso entered his office and saluted.

"At ease, Captain," Frank commanded returning Ranger's salute. "Please sit," as he indicated the sofa on the other side of the office from his desk. This meeting was to be a bit more informal.

Ranger sat on the sofa as he spoke, "Sir, you indicated that Barrentes is in play and there were complications to discuss. There has been talk of Barrentes' arrival in Trenton on the streets. I have a man on Stark who has been trying to get intel. So, far Santos hasn't been able to find out much."

Frank sat down in the armchair across from the sofa and answered, "I'm aware. However, the main issue to discuss is the complication. My daughter, Stephanie, is an investigative journalist for the _Times of Trenton_," Frank paused to see if her name got a reaction from Ranger. There was a slight raise to his right eyebrow but that was all, and if Frank had blinked he would have missed it.

"Stephanie has started investigating the Slayers in Trenton. She has discovered Barrentes' name and is trying to put together what his connection with the Slayers is, and this has not gone unnoticed. I have intel that she is in danger. I have decided to pull her in. It is the only way to keep her safe," Frank watched as Ranger's blank face started to crack and his hands fisted at his sides.

"Permission to speak freely, sir?" at Frank's slight nod, Ranger continued, "Why would you want to pull your daughter into an Op? She is a civilian and she isn't trained. Stephanie could get hurt."

Frank watched Manoso as he spoke. The mention of Stephanie being in danger seemed to have unleashed a fury in his eyes that couldn't be contained. Ranger was still in love with his daughter, Frank was sure of it.

"Captain, I trained my daughter well. Not as a soldier, but she can defend herself with or without a weapon. However, she is stubborn and determined and she won't let this go. If I don't bring her in now, she could get in over her head before we could act. If we involve her now and don't hide things from her, she can help track down Barrentes while you and your men keep her safe."

Ranger got up and walked to a picture of Stephanie from the Olympics hanging on the wall. He was just about to touch her face in the picture when the shock of Frank's words washed over his face. "Sir? What do you mean while my men and I keep her safe? You want her to work with us? Why not put her in a safe house?"

"Yes, Ranger, she will be your partner. Locking her up isn't an option. She'll escape at the first opportunity and go off on her own. I can't allow that to happen. If you will work with her, you can keep her safe. This isn't an order, Captain, but a request. I don't want to have to order you but I will if it will keep my daughter safe."

Looking again at the picture of Stephanie, Frank could see the resolve set over Ranger's body. "Yes, sir, I will partner with your daughter and keep her safe," he responded with his blank face on.

Frank grinned, "Good. She will be here in a few hours. I'd like to talk to her first, when she gets here. Go get settled and be back here at 1830. Dismissed."

Ranger stood at attention, saluted and left the office.

**################################################## #####**

Following her from her apartment all the way to Philly and the Amtrak station on Market Street, he watched as she got out of her Jeep with a small overnight bag in hand. Waiting a few moments, he trailed her, staying out of sight, to see which train she would board. Seeing it was the train to DC, it became apparent that Stephanie was going to visit her father.

Figuring she would be gone overnight, there would be plenty of time to prepare the message for the reporter. Tomorrow, she'd understand fear because he would make sure of it.

**#################################################**

At the train station, Stephanie could feel eyes on her. They weren't friendly eyes either. She tried discreetly to see who was following her, but whoever it was stayed hidden in the crowd. The unease stayed with her until she safely boarded the train. For whatever reason, the person following her didn't board the train.

Turning on her iPod, Stephanie put in her ear buds and listened to a steady stream of 80s metal - her thinking music - while trying to figure out why her father had summoned her. It wasn't often that she saw her Dad in DC, much less that he requested her to make the trip.

Stephanie gathered up her purse and overnight bag after the train pulled into the station, she disembarked and started making her way through the crowd.

Suddenly, she felt a tingle in her neck and her right hand immediately reached up to rub the spot. Stephanie stopped and looked around. She knew he was here; she felt him watching her. Instinctively Steph knew that his eyes were not the same as the ones in Philly. The feeling that washed over her was one of protection and a hint of something else she couldn't quite define, not the malice she had felt at the Market Street Station. Again, she discreetly looked around to find the owner of the eyes, but again, she couldn't find him.

A feeling of dread mixed with excitement washed over her. Dread at the possibility of danger that the eyes in Philly meant, and excitement at the thought that just maybe something big was about to happen. Steeling herself for the unknown, Stephanie continued on her way to meet her father. Her instincts told her it would be a very interesting meeting.

**######################################**

After leaving the General's office, Ranger called Silvio at the Miami office and asked for a full background check on Stephanie. He informed Silvio who Steph was related to and advised that while the check needed to be thorough, it couldn't be traced. If anyone could do it, Ranger knew that Silvio could.

Within the hour, Ranger had a full file on her. Reading through it, he was surprised by very little except the fact that the "alphabets" had an active interest in her and her skills. Stephanie had been approached after the Olympics she competed in by several agencies and she turned them all down in order to follow her dream of becoming a journalist. However, according to what Silvio uncovered, their interest didn't stop with her turning them down that first time. Stephanie had been approached numerous other times after their initial contact with her. Somehow, the spooks had kept the additional contact hidden, or at least they thought, from her father. Ranger was sure that General Plum was fully aware of the spooks continued interest in his daughter, which is why bringing her into the op surprised him.

Raking his fingers through his hair, Ranger wondered how Stephanie would react to seeing him. Would they be able to work together for this op? Would she run off on her own just to stay away from him? Would he be able to keep her safe?

Not being able to sit still, Ranger left his room and went out for a walk. The thoughts raging in his head left him not very aware of his surroundings, and he was suddenly aware he was at the train station. The arrival board announced that the train from Philly would be arriving shortly, prompting Ranger to find a place where he could remain hidden but keep a full view of those disembarking. He was waiting (hoping) for a glimpse of her.

As he reached up to rub at the tingle on the back of his neck, he saw her make the same gesture as she sensed his presence also. He felt a wave of protectiveness wash over him and the tug in his heart of the love he still felt for her.

**A/N 2 - Who is Talon? I wonder if any of you smart readers will figure it out! Also, stay tuned, next chapter will finally put Ranger and Stephanie in the same room! What will happen when these two reunite?**


	9. Chapter 8

**A/N - Hey everyone! Can you believe it? A week(ish) later and I'm posting again! I hope you aren't passing out from shock! LOL!**

**Please read and review! I may suck at getting time to respond, but I read each and every one and they make me so happy! Please keep letting me know what you like or even dislike about the story and what you think might happen. It encourages me to write more!**

**Thanks as always to Svendances my beta extraordinaire! Go read her stories especially "You're Really Messed Up Too". It is a great story and keeps getting better!**

**Chapter 8**

"Hello, Stephanie, your father is expecting you," her father's efficient secretary informed her as she approached Betsy's desk. "You can go on in. It is lovely to see you, dear."

"Thanks, Betsy, it is good to see you, too."

Stephanie went to her father's office door and lightly knocked. As she heard, "Enter," she opened the door and smiled back at her father's grinning face. Frank quickly rose up from his chair and met her halfway in the room and she stepped into his open arms for a hug.

"It is good to see you, Pumpkin. You look well," Frank told her as he kissed the top of her head.

"Thanks, Daddy, you look good, too. Now, why did you want me to meet you here?" Stephanie asked. She wanted to get straight down to business. The incident earlier in Philly combined with the fact that her father wanted to meet with her in person had "spidey senses" on high alert

Frank laughed as he led Stephanie to sit down on the couch, "Impatient as usual I see. Before we discuss the reason I asked you to come to DC, I need to ask you about something. Last night, when I called, why did you ask me if I had ever heard of Rangeman?"

Stephanie felt uncomfortable at the question; she really didn't want to discuss the details of her past relationship with Carlos with her father. She had given in to an impulse when she asked about Rangeman and now she regretted it. "You won't let me get away with just curiosity will you, Dad?" She asked.

Frank raised an eyebrow at her, "No, Pumpkin, I won't. Especially not with the tone you had to your voice when you asked. It has been a long time since I heard the heartbreak in your voice like that. I'd say it was probably about 10 years ago when a young man broke your heart during the summer you spent at the beach. A young man whose name you wouldn't reveal to me."

_Damn, Dad sure doesn't miss much does he?_ Stephanie thought. _He probably already figured it out. With my luck he knew all along…_

"I met Carlos that summer and he was the one who broke my heart. But I think you already figured that out on your own, Daddy. I didn't tell you who he was because I didn't want you to break the kneecaps of one of your soldiers, and he was already being deployed to a third world country…"

Frank threw his head back and laughed, "That's true, the ship to a third world country threat wouldn't have held as much water with Ranger as it did Valerie's boyfriends in High School. However, the kneecaps might have been an option."

Frank got up from the sofa, crossed the room to a small refrigerator and took out a bottle of water. He held it up and raised an eyebrow, silently asking if she wanted one also. Nodding that she did, her Dad grabbed another one, returned to the sofa and handed her a bottle.

"So, Pumpkin, what happened between you two?" Frank asked as she put the bottle on the table.

Stephanie flinched and her father noticed, "I don't need the details, but I need to know how messy it was. You lost a lot of your trusting nature that summer, Pumpkin. You can't think I didn't notice."

"Daddy, it was a long time ago. It was a summer romance. Ranger was here to train with you at Ft. Dix before shipping out to the Middle East. He sent me a letter ending it. That's it. No big deal," she replied hoping she was able to hide the pain she felt in her heart.

"So, if you saw him at the Bonds Office when you went to talk to Connie or ran into him somewhere, it would be no big deal?" Frank inquired.

"Of course, Dad, it would fine. It might be nice to see him again and catch up," she lied smoothly as she turned her face from her father to reach for her bottle of water.

Stephanie unscrewed the top on the bottle and took a drink as Frank dropped a bomb on her, "Good! Glad to hear it. He'll be here in about 15 minutes."

Almost choking on the water, Stephanie sputtered, "What?! Carlos will be here in 15 minutes? You're joking, right?"

Frank patted Stephanie on the back and handed her a napkin, "No Pumpkin, I'm not joking. I thought you said you'd be fine with seeing him."

Stephanie caught a gleam in her Father's eye and wondered what sort of mischief he was up to, "Sure it will be fine. I was just surprised, that's all. Why is Ranger coming here? Is that why you summoned me to DC? What's going on?"

"What does the name Pablo Barrentes mean to you?"

"Well, his name came up on one of the search engines Hector got for me. Barrentes runs drugs and guns out of Columbia and is associated with the Slayers. The Police keep doing raids on the Slayers but the charges aren't sticking. Barrentes' name came up associated with the Bond paperwork on the Slayers that Vinnie has been writing Bonds for," she explained. "Why and what does this have to do with you and Rangeman?" she asked as she got that familiar tingling feeling on the back of her neck and turned towards the door.

"I'm working with your father on an Op to take Barrentes down and the General seems to think it would be a good idea for us to work together," Ranger said as he entered the room and locked eyes with Stephanie.

_Shit. He looks good enough to eat._Stephanie thought as she mentally fanned herself and tried not to ruin her panties at the site of the gorgeous man in front of her.

Her father rose from the couch and introduced her to Ranger. _Hmmm, Daddy doesn't want Carlos to realize he knows about our past. Interesting. He is definitely up to something._

Playing along Stephanie reached out to shake Carlos' hand. The electricity she felt at his touch raged through her entire body. She gasped as she looked into his eyes and saw he felt it too as his eyes took on the deep dark chocolate color that they had during their last weekend together.

"It is nice to meet you, Stephanie," Ranger said as he leaned down a bit and pulled her hand to his lips placing a light gentlemanly kiss on the back of her hand.

_Yep, panties ruined. Shit._

**A/N 2 - Sorry, I know this is short and they've only been in the same room for like 30 seconds, but Stephanie told me I had to end it on that line and Ranger backed her up. I can't refuse Ranger anything so, um there ya go...  
**

**I'm working on the next part, and I probably already know the answer to this question, but who's POV should the next section be from? Ranger or Frank? Leave a review and let me know!**


	10. Chapter 9

**A/N -Hi everyone. I hate to say this but I'm putting this story on Hiatus for right now. I feel like I've written myself into a corner and I'm not sure what to do about it. I think in my haste to get this story out there I royally screwed it up. I should have sat down and planned it out or written the whole thing before I started posting. Instead, I have written it chapter by chapter and the story has also morphed quite a bit from my original concept.  
**

**I have never written an adventure story before, and I'm finding I'm not so comfortable with where it is and where it is going. Give me an emotional journey and I can write that fairly quickly and with a loose plan. Colliding Forces just isn't that.  
**

**I will not abandon this story, but I have to step away before it becomes more of a chore to write than I feel it is at this moment. I started writing fan fiction as a creative outlet during some rough times I've had recently. This story has started to feel like a job and it makes it harder for me to write it.  
**

**So, stepping away for a bit is what I'm going to do. I'm not sure if I will just leave this here for what it is and re-write the story completely and post it as Colliding Forces Revised or what. **

**I am sorry that after so many chapters I finally have Steph and Ranger in the same room and I'm stopping. I can't tell you how many times I have sat staring at a blank computer screen trying to figure out where to go from there. **

**Thanks for hanging with this journey so far, and I promise to pick this back up soon. I won't abandon the story, I HATE IT when that happens!**

**Liz**


End file.
